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Last update - 20:19 02/06/2008
U.S. imam fighting deportation talks of torture in Israeli detention
By The Associated Press
Tags: United States, Imam 

A popular Muslim leader facing deportation asked that his children be removed from the New Jersey courtroom Monday before he broke into tears while describing graphic torture he said he was subjected to in Israeli detention.

The issue of torture is at the heart of the deportation proceedings against Mohammad Qatanani, a Palestinian who has been the mosque leader of the Islamic Center of Passaic County in Paterson since 1996. It is one of the largest mosques in the northeastern state.

The United States government has rejected his bid for permanent U.S. residency, saying Qatanani failed to disclose a 1993 arrest and conviction in Israel for being a member of Hamas on his green card application.
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Qatanani denies the charges, saying he was detained, not arrested, by the Israelis along with many Palestinians at the time.

As he recounted his time in Israeli detention - describing being tied to a small chair with his hands bound, kept in a freezing cell, and subjected to violence and threats - several of his supporters in the packed courtroom began quietly weeping.

"Judge, you can not imagine," Qatanani said, his voice breaking. "They say 'We will kill your family.' They say: 'You know what your family is doing now? We will go to them, we will burn them.'"

Qatanani paused to compose himself before telling Immigration Judge Alberto J. Riefkohl, "At that time, you feel that death is better than life."

Earlier in the day, Qatanani described growing up poor in a Palestinian refugee camp. He said that since age 6, he has wanted to be a mosque leader - following in the footsteps of his father.

Qatanani's lawyers spent part of the morning trying to distance him from his controversial predecessor at the mosque, Mohammed el-Mezain, who was arrested and is facing re-trail on charges of funneling money to Palestinian terrorist groups.

Qatanani testified that he didn't get along with el-Mezain and never shared his vision. On the stand, Qatanani pointed to his commitment to interfaith dialogue, cooperation with law enforcement, and the integration of Muslims into mainstream American society.

Riefkohl, who is hearing the case in Newark federal court, said Monday would probably be the last day of the trial.

The judge said it could take him a month or more to decide whether Qatanani, his wife, and three of the couple's six children who are foreign-born can remain in the United States.

Related articles:
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      1.   Torture imagination-honni soit qui mal Y pense 20:41  |  Jacob 02/06/08
      2.   When we do it it`s "enhanced interrogation" 21:13  |  Aphemia 02/06/08
      3.   boo hoo 21:48  |  vik 02/06/08
      4.   This a stupid imam 22:17  |  JDL 02/06/08
      5.   TO NO 1. 22:45  |  DANNY. 02/06/08
      6.   Movie actors 23:03  |  Peter 02/06/08
      7.   A member of hamas, he can be in oBama`s cabinet! 23:11  |  Avram 02/06/08
      8.   did he cry for Jewish victims of hamas terror attacks? 23:15  |  don 02/06/08
      9.   ya! and the germans tortured too! whatever! 23:38  |  Reasonable Man 02/06/08
      10.   Palli....wood .. da da da da da da daaa 00:17  |  GZLives 03/06/08
      11.   Israel is reknowned for its torture even on 00:19  |  kiwi girl 03/06/08
      12.   DO NOT SEND ARABS TO HOLYLAND, KEEP THEM IN AMERICA))) 01:04  |  VOICE of MOSHIACH))) 03/06/08
      13.   "discomfort" does not equal "torture" 01:04  |  Susan 03/06/08
      14.   Murderers Israelis 01:05  |  Abbood 03/06/08
      15.   Another Pallywood production 01:07  |  Gee 03/06/08
      16.   Fact: Israel tortures 01:09  |  POP 03/06/08
      17.   WHO LET HIM IN THE U,S. ???????? 01:34  |  ARIEH 03/06/08
      18.   The Iman cries 01:54  |  Connie 03/06/08
      19.   Lies 02:27  |  nemesis 03/06/08
      20.   To Avrum, a repulsive fool 02:30  |  david 03/06/08
      21.   US Not Disputing Allegations 02:46  |  Mark of Lewiston 03/06/08
      22.   admission of guilt under "interrogation"?; LET HIM STAY!" 03:00  |  eric 03/06/08
      23.   KIWI GIRL .The source for your allegations exactly as you claim? 04:53  |  PETER SM 03/06/08
      24.   Kiwi Girl 06:07  |  Marc 03/06/08
      25.   don in toronto 06:09  |  potobac 03/06/08
      26.   peter sm 06:15  |  potobac 03/06/08
      27.   Fact: POP lies 06:54  |  Pervert 03/06/08
      28.   Yes eric, let him stay; send him to your house 06:55  |  Romano 03/06/08
      29.   What`s the problem. Return him to the PA. 07:18  |  Raymond in DC 03/06/08
      30.   POTOBAC so how does that apply to this man`s case if its banned 07:32  |  PETER SM 03/06/08
      31.   The return of Muslem prisonners 07:35  |  Pierre 03/06/08
      32.   Imam terrorist asked children to be kept out so they do not 07:58  |  Genuine Tosefta 03/06/08
      33.   Potobac here is your twisted proof that Syria does not torture 08:08  |  Genuine Tosefta 03/06/08
      34.   POTOBAC trying to pass off the past as current.,as you admitt 08:32  |  PETER SM 03/06/08
      35.   Islamic imams teach hate, violence, intolerance to children 09:16  |  Johnny 03/06/08
      36.   He didn`t deny being a member of Hamas - banned organization 09:40  |  x-ray 03/06/08
      37.   # 28 to romano 09:43  |  eric 03/06/08
      38.   # 28 to romano 09:53  |  eric 03/06/08
      39.   A torture country 09:57  |  Janice 03/06/08
      40.   # 35 learn how to read, x-ray 10:05  |  eric 03/06/08
      41.   genuine tosefta 33 10:41  |  potobac 03/06/08
      42.   peter sm 34 10:43  |  potobac 03/06/08
      43.   Time limitation? 11:13  |  Motic 03/06/08
      44.   #36 x-ray. America has many terrorists-in government. 11:24  |  Maureen Ann 03/06/08
      45.   Facts 11:27  |  Keops 03/06/08
      46.   POTOBAC If you have evidence why not produce it? 11:41  |  PETER SM 03/06/08
      47.   #35 Johnny 12:20  |  Nick Ferriman 03/06/08
      48.   eric the pompous. Read the article yourself 12:32  |  x-ray 03/06/08
      49.   kiwi girl 12:45  |  Nechama 03/06/08
      50.   9-11 celebrations in Paterson NJ 13:32  |  Steve 03/06/08
      51.   # 44 Maureen Ann...Australians were there too 13:39  |  Lynn 03/06/08
      52.   Evil Israelis 13:39  |  NJ MAN 03/06/08
      53.   # 12 Mosiach......no thank you 13:40  |  Lynn 03/06/08
      54.   Nick #47 On hateful islamic imams 13:44  |  Johnny 03/06/08
      55.   Pierre in Canada 13:46  |  ClearCut 03/06/08
      56.   Potobac 14:03  |  Steve 03/06/08
      57.   Keep him in the US 14:27  |  aj 03/06/08
      58.   #52 To the NJ man 14:35  |  Hastaroth 03/06/08
      59.   nick ferriman since we are all sinful 14:59  |  ivri 03/06/08
      60.   potobac why do you jail over one million blackss 15:02  |  justice 03/06/08
      61.   potobac 15:05  |  justice 03/06/08
      62.   # 22 eric...not the first Imam deported 15:45  |  Lynn 03/06/08
      63.   # 11 kiwi...maybe New Zealand will take him 15:47  |  Lynn 03/06/08
      64.   Why the U.S.? 15:47  |  utagawa 03/06/08
      65.   I Shall Quote a Follower of the Imam 16:54  |  FOX 03/06/08
      66.   62 Lynn - Detained is Not Arrested 16:59  |  Mark of Lewiston 03/06/08
      67.   You`re kidding 17:09  |  BDM 03/06/08
      68.   Ferriman`s Gush Eminem? 18:13  |  FOX 03/06/08
      69.   Hamas people, as this Imam is, would be willing to sell their 18:50  |  Fawaz 03/06/08
      70.   #58 Hastaroth 19:01  |  NJ man 03/06/08
      71.   steve 56